The assignee of the present invention, Parker-Hannifin Corporation, of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A., manufactures and markets, under the trade name “MiniKrimp” a compact, lightweight, portable, hand-held if so desired, apparatus for crimping a hose fitting to the end of, for example, of thermoplastic, fluorocarbon and rubber hoses, with the structural and operational details of this portable crimping device being are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,335 B2 to Huebner et al.
The positioning the portable crimping device a predetermined distance from a base or support surface, during the hose-to-fitting crimping process, allows the bottom surface of the crimping device, where the hose to be crimped is entered into this device, to be free from obstructions, thus improving both the cycle time and the ease of operation.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a mechanism for raising the portable crimping apparatus to the desired height, the key attributes for which included: low weight; ease of folding and unfolding; the absence of a locking mechanism in the unfolded or working position; a flat folding position on a side surface of the crimping device and ready portability therewith; as well as a simple but sturdy kinematical folding design; and low manufacturing cost.
The patent literature includes folding support devices for everything from flashlights (U.S. Pat. No. 1,658,189 to Embury) to camera tripod support means (U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,352 to Brown), to adjustable support bases for computer devices and the like (U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,813 to Kim et al.), to universal supports for hand operated devices (U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,791 to Scherbarth), and even to a collapsible milk carton holder (U.S. Des. 179,992 to Walker). However, none of these prior art apparatuses, include the novel structures, details and combinations of the present invention.